The Giallorossi lost Lorenzo Pellegrini to a red card early in the second half but held on for the three points.

Ten-man AC Milan, though, were held to a 1-1 draw at Udinese.

The visitors took an early lead through Suso but Davide Calabria’s dismissal and keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma’s unfortunate own goal — the ball going in off his arm after Kevin Lasagna’s cross deflected off Leonardo Bonucci and deceived him — pegged them back.

Cagliari picked up an important three points against relegation rivals SPAL.

Luca Cigarini scored in the first half and Marco Sau made the game safe in the second to lift the Sardinians seven points clear of their opponents who occupy the top relegation position.

Fiorentina won 2-1 at Bologna, with goals from Jordan Veretout and Federico Chiesa either side of Eric Pulgar’s equaliser, while Gianluca Mancini earned Atalanta a 1-0 win over Chievo.